More than 100 events have been launched in the UK with the aim of raising awareness about the dangers of level crossings.

Today (May 7th) is International Level Crossing Awareness Day and Network Rail is keen to ensure motorists remain safe when driving over railway tracks.

The UK has one of the best records in Europe when it comes to rail crossing safety, although nine people were killed in accidents in the last year, while 453 people were involved in a near miss. Overall, there were ten crashes involving trains and road vehicles in Britain between April 1st 2012 and March 31st 2013.

Network Rail is investing £130 million to ensure level crossings are as safe as possible and it is well on its way to closing down 750 intersections by 2014 - a target that was set in 2009.

"If we're not able to close a crossing, we want to raise awareness of how to use crossings safely and the risks associated with getting distracted or ignoring warning signs," commented Martin Gallagher, head of level crossings at Network Rail.